3 Details to Steal from Traditional Italian Kitchens

Incorporating details from a traditional Italian kitchen into your home doesn't have to mean installing a "Tuscan" cabinet design from a catalog or mimicking an Italian kitchen a la Disneyland. Some basic characteristics we think of in traditional Italian kitchens are timelessness, warmth, and utility. Which are all elements we can incorporate in our own kitchen at home without the cheese factor:

Architectural detail - be it structural or applied - can bring a sense of age to a space. Be it wood cladding and plank floors (as in the otherwise contemporary kitchen above) or an arched doorway, a little architectural detail helps a room feel like it has a story to tell. Look to salvage shops and junk stores and see what you discover!

Terra cotta floors add warmth to the space. Terra cotta tiles can vary from recycled antique ones with beautiful patina to basic red clay that can be found inexpensively at most home improvement stores.

Utility can come in the form of good organization, quality cookware, or a workhorse appliance. In the last image above, an example of utility is the display (and easy access to) well-used cookware hanging on a wall-mounted rack.

What says "traditional Italian kitchen" to you? How can that manifest itself in your home kitchen?

Regina is an architect who lives with her husband and children in Lawrence, KS. As a LEED Accredited Professional and longtime contributor to Apartment Therapy and The Kitchn, her focus is on healthy, sustainable living through design.